A Three-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation Capability for Liner Compression of Field Reversed Configurations

NumerEx has developed, implemented, and applied a two-dimensional (2-d) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation model of liner compression of field reversed configurations (FRCs) based on MACH2. The model, including FRC formation, translation, capture, and liner compression, incorporates both an imploding deformable liner and the FRC, and is presently being used to design and provide operational guidance for Department of Energy Office of Fusion Energy Science funded experiments at the Air Force Research Laboratory. Others have applied spectral codes limited to cylindrically symmetric simulation geometries to address three-dimensional (3-d) plasma effects. However, simulations of liner compression of FRCs that can address both 3-d aspects of practical experimental hardware and 3-d plasma effects, and that could validate the 2-d design model are presently unavailable. NumerEx proposes to develop a 3-d MHD simulation capability to address the FRC liner compression problem. This capability will be based on MACH3, NumerEx